Israel Birds Part 02_04 Ein Advat, Sde Boker and Midreshet Ben-Gurion

Day 04

It rained overnight. A lot. One of the dangers of Israel, especially the desert regions of Southern Israel is the real danger of flash floods. There is not a lot of vegetation to hold waters back. Thus our plans were changed at the last minute to sites we could actually get to and without much risk.

Our first stop was Ein Avdat, a canyon in the southern Negev. We went to the top of the gorge which had a walk along the edge and great views of the gorge itself and its resident birds. The locals were excited about the river but it was not 10/10 on an Aussie scale of volume or ferocity. Plenty of potential to inflict fatal damage though. The river "fell" off the top in a series of spectacular drops to the valley floor.

The most famous locals here are breeding Eurasian Griffons. We were able to spot three nests on the canyon walls and saw three vultures flying around. They even have their own cameras. Each bird is individually numbered. Here are my photographic efforts.

Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus

We then went to Kibbutz Sde Boker (basically walked around the village) and then on to Midreshet Ben-Gurion, the kibbutz next to the Ben-Gurion Memorial Park. Meidad, our guide, had lived here for several years and had only left just a few months earlier. He knew everyone. We did some birding, had lunch and birded some more, headed off to the Southern District before returning to Mitzpe Ramon.

Palestine Sunbird Cinnyris osea

White-spectacled Bulbul Pycnonotus xanthopygos

Booted Eagle Aquila pennata

 European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur

Crested Lark Galerida cristata

Our last stop of the day was just a random gateway to a winery but it pulled up two special birds. Heather and I had already seen a Siberian Stonechat (in Ethiopia, as you do) but the Bluethroat was way better, a beautifully coloured bird. A male for us and the Northern European sub-species to boot with the extra red line through the blue. Top spotting Andy Whittaker, our VENT guide.

Siberian Stonechat Saxicolatorquatus maurus

Bluethroat Luscinia svecica svecica